The Kitchener Rangers will face off against the Cambridge Ice Hounds and Kitchener Ice Pirates at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on Jan. 16 between 6 and 8:30pm in the fifth annual charity game to support special needs hockey in Waterloo Region.
Entrance to the game is free; nominal cash donations will be accepted at the door. As the teams are entirely voluntary, all money raised goes directly toward improving the on-ice experience for the players.
The Ice Hounds and Ice Pirates are two local hockey teams comprised of close to 100 children and adults that have developmental or physical challenges that prevent them from participating in traditional hockey programs.
The goal of the program is to provide individuals with an opportunity to experience the great Canadian game in a setting where there are no age groups, no tryouts, and everyone has a role.
Players do not need to know how to skate, hold a stick or handle a puck though many of them do that very well. All that is required is a desire to do what many others take for granted; being part of a team, learning about teamwork and most of all having fun playing Canada’s game.
The teams travel all over southwestern Ontario to face other teams in many major cities.
Each season closes in April with the Jim Gregory Friendship Tournament. This season that event will be held in London, England. The annual tournament brings together teams from across North America and England once a year for a major gathering. There are no elimination rounds, no one team is crowned champion.
Kitchener will play host to the special hockey international tournament in March 2013.
For more information on this event or the Cambridge Ice Hounds, visit: http://www.cambridgeicehounds.com. For the Kitchener Ice Pirates, visit http://kitchenerminorhockey.com/Categories/1638/.
For information on the 2013 special hockey international tournament, visit: http://www.shikitchener2013.ca/.
